A group of kindred-spirit artists is coming together with a special exhibit to mark the fifth anniversary of the Old Schoolhouse Art Studios, a venue that in some way has inspired each of the artists.

The show at Cultural Center of Cape Cod celebrates the works of these artists who have sculpted, painted and sketched at the studio complex on the grounds of the Unitarian Church on Route 6A in Barnstable Village.

You’ve probably driven by the studios, as I have, and wondered who was inside, doing what.

The display, which runs from March 19 to 30, features works by about two-dozen artists who have called the studios home in recent years. A reception is set for March 21, from 5 to 7 p.m.

The building has a history: Built in 1874 by Samuel Sturgis Crocker, it’s had many uses. It served as a schoolhouse, as the first home of Cape Cod Conservatory, as the Council of Churches thrift shop and as a ballet school. In the last five years, though, it’s been wholly devoted to the fine arts, thanks to artist Karen Ojala and friends.

Ojala launched an effort to create the studios in 2009 by submitting a proposal to the Friends of the Schoolhouse, a non-profit group that rescued the building in 1981 after a fire nearly destroyed it.

The Unitarian Church, which was granted the building by the town of Barnstable back in the 1950s, gave tenancy to the Friends. That enabled the Friends to rent out the space for various purposes over the years.

As secretary of the Friends’ Board of Directors, Ojala began to envision a way to give the old schoolhouse a single purpose – as an art gallery/studio complex. It was perfect, with its high ceilings, big windows and great light.

Area artists soon became interested in renting studio space there, and today it’s a thriving, eclectic mix of artists who invite people in for Open Studio events.